2014 // In Music

2014 was a slow year in music for me, but when I looked back over the year, I remember a lot of albums I had on repeat throughout the spring and summer. Most of you know that my taste in music is “90s bands you think had 1 hit but have 15 albums and maybe switched genres and make one or two solo albums” such as Hootie & the Blowfish, Hanson (Taylor joined another band for a minute), Josh Kelley, and Train. I also love most pop music, singer/songwriters, and have a soft spot for quick lyrics and Christian rock.

I listened to Ed’s X on repeat pretty much all year round, because so many of the songs are so fun – and I learned all the words to Don’t. Jesse McCartney’s album kept me going during the 10k run in December, and keep me dancing on my 30 mile commute. Obviously despite Taylor not being on Spotify I listened to her tunes over and over and over in the kitchen. Needtobreathe was for photo editing, and Maroon 5 was generally rallying music – except Leaving California which just pulls at my heart strings. Marc’s Hurricane Heart on his newest album just makes me cry no matter what, and everything about Jason’s Back to the Earth makes me smile wide.

Here are the albums I loved this year along with the tracks that I wore out on my CDs (you think I’m joking…)

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Ed Sheeran – X
Tenerife Sea & Photograph & Thinking Out Loud

Jesse-McCartney-In-Technicolor-Album-CoverJesse McCartney – In Technicolor
Back Together & Young Love

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Taylor Swift – 1989
How You Get the Girl & Shake it Off

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Needtobreathe – Rivers in Wasteland 
Multiplied & The Heart

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Maroon 5 – V
Leaving California & In Your Pocket

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Marc Broussard – A Life Worth Living
Hurricane Heart & Perfect to Me

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Jason Mraz – YES!
Hello, You Beautiful Thing & Back to the Earth

been gone for miles but heart still driving

Last night Ryan and I saw Needtobreathe at the Wiltern. This is one of the first concerts were I realized…we’re old…er. We stood in the back to see the whole band. We discussed how happy we were that the band hadn’t gotten so large that they outgrow great venues like the Wiltern. We hoped they’d play the older stuff, and were ecstatic when they did. We did show our true colors when they went on to their second encore and I scoffed at all those that had left before the first one, when they came out to play The Heart and The Outsiders.

I love seeing shows with Ryan because he loves the bands just as much as I do. When I moved to LA, I was worried that the bands I liked wouldn’t come to LA…that they’d stay up in Boston in places like the Roxy and I’d lose out on my mildly famous band loves that had one really big hits in the mid-2000s and still tour but no one knows that they still tour, and I prefer it that way.

But I moved to LA and found Ryan, and Paul, and then Traci moved here, and I got Corelyn and can con her into most shows, too. And there is the Wiltern, and El Rey Theatre, and the Fonda Theater. I am thankful the music scene in LA, because it’s one of those things that I really, really enjoying seeing live – and Needtobreathe is one of the best live shows, hands down.

Because you mostly weren’t there last night, I’ll leave you with one of the best live songs that Needtobreathe does…and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

 

Twenty ten: Autumn

We finished what we started.

We learned how to throw dough.

We still have a lot to learn.

We had a visit from our soul sisters.

We learned how to be gluten free. We are still learning.

We celebrated our heritage.

I went to ranch camp. I killed a chicken.

We hiked the canyon.

We visited with Jeff’s parents.

We got a Volvo.

We decorated pumpkins. We got our faces painted.

We celebrated Halloween. We dressed as literary characters. (And mine workers.)

And paparazzo.

We voted. We won. We love California.

We gave thanks.

Melissa turned 25. She got a yellow kettle.

We got Christmas trees.

We decorated them.

We saw Needtobreathe.

We hosted a holiday party. We made creme brulee.

We hosted Yankee Swap.

We thought. We mused. We pondered.

We finished PW. We are champions.